It isn't often that a sports rivalry will not be between two teams or two people. But this one, that thrilled fans in 1978, is one that goes down as one of the best sports rivalries as two fine horses battled each other in the Triple Crown races that year. Here is my review of "Duel for the Crown."
Title/Author:
“Duel For the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing’s Greatest Rivalry” by Linda Carroll and David Rosner
Rating:
5 of 5 stars (excellent)
Review: After a
25-year drought in which no horse won the Triple Crown, the decade of the 1970’s
saw this happen three times. After fans
watched in awe the feats of Secretariat (1973) and Seattle Slew (1977), they
were absolutely enthralled by the races for the Triple Crown in 1978. During that year, all three races – the Kentucky
Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes – were decided by less than one length. The same horse won – Affirmed – and the same
horse finished second – Alydar – in all three races. This book by Linda Carroll and David Rosner is
a through account of this great rivalry.
There is much more to the book than just the races. Although the writing about all three Triple Crown races (and many others in which one or both horses participated), what makes this book stand out is the background information. To start, it was noted that both horses were conceived in the same breeding shed, with ties to another famous horse (Native Dancer) within a month of each other. The breeding and training grounds of the famous Calumet Farms was described in rich detail. Background information that was so detailed that they almost read like biographies of the owners was included.
It also helped these two great horses that they had two famous jockeys in the saddle. For Alydar, that duty went to Jorge Velasquez, who did everything he was supposed to do with the horse but came up short seven times out of nine in duels with Affirmed. Affirmed, in the meantime, was ridden by Steve Cauthen who at the time was the most recognizable person in the sport of horse racing. Riding Affirmed at the young age of 18, he had already smashed records for wins and earnings and was even named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated – the first person in horse racing to be so honored. This helped hype up the media for these races – and again, the rich writing by Carroll and Rosner will bring the reader knowledge that they will enjoy, even if they are not fans of the sport.
No matter your interest or knowledge of horse racing, this book is one that any sports fan will treasure. Fans of any sport love a good rivalry. Whether your favorite rivalry was Ali vs. Frazier, Yankees vs. Red Sox or Celtics vs. Lakers, Affirmed vs. Alydar is one that ranks right up there with the great rivalries and this is the best source for information on these two outstanding horses.
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